New York Daily News - By Brian Niemietz And Chris Sommerfeldt New York Daily News

June 13, 2018 6:01pm

June 13--Trump lawyer and former mayor Rudy Giuliani is vehemently denying reports that his separation from Judith Nathan was caused by an alleged affair with Dr. Maria Rosa Ryan, whom he insists is just a "friend."

The pair has been linked on several occasions in recent months, including an alleged meet-up at a resort in New Hampshire the weekend before Giuliani's separation from his wife of 15 years.

Giuliani said he knew the split was coming -- but insisted it wasn't because of any hanky-panky with the married Ryan.

"I think this occurred on March 29 and I was separated on April 2, so I had a pretty good inkling of it (the divorce)," he told the Daily News Tuesday.

According to Giuliani, that two-day visit was strictly business, despite reports that he and Ryan, who is married to a former Marine, retreated to the hotel's Presidential Suite.

"They might have it confused with the private room we went into to have dinner at the restaurant," he said.

"There was no pleasure at all," he said. "One of the nights I watched 'The Godfather.'"

According to Giuliani, he booked the hotel's presidential suite, but it wasn't because he planned on hosting.

"It's not that big in that hotel," he said. "That's where I stay in many places when I go."

Giuliani insists he and Ryan are "good friends" and that her husband is a good friend as well.

A source questioned Giuliani's story and noted the mayor, who is said to have met up with Ryan on the campaign trail, was also in New Hampshire Memorial Day weekend.

"Rudy was in Manchester, New Hampshire on Sunday, the night before his 74th birthday," the source said, adding the mayor then high-tailed it back to New York.

On Monday, after attending a Yankees game where he was booed in front of 46,583 fans when big screen at Yankee Stadium announced it was his Big Day, Giuliani hosted a party at his swanky new Park Ave. bachelor pad on the upper East Side. Guests included former Attorney General Michael Mukasey, ex-top cop Bernard Kerik, as well as Ryan, whom our source says was introduced to party-goers as "a friend."

Giuliani and Ryan have recently spent time together abroad as well.

When the pair traveled to Israel last week to visit the Hadassah Medical Organization in Jerusalem, the website Hadassah.org identified the doctor as the politico's "partner."